Let’s talk Epidermis
You probably have heard your Skin Therapist talking about barrier function or protecting your epidermis! I know my clients used to hear it ALL the time, but there is good reason for it, so lets talk why it’s so important.
Firstly, our Epidermis is made up of 5 layers
The Stratum Corneum – which a lot of people just think is ‘dead skin’ and we should get rid of it. Wrong, it plays an important part in protecting our cells from bacteria and UV rays. It’s comprised mainly of Keratin and makes up a large percentage of our barrier function, it’s also home to our Microbiome.
The Stratum Lucidium – only found on the soles of our feet and the palms of our hands, it’s there to help withstand friction.
The Stratum Granulosum – this is our waterproofing layer, preventing water from getting into our skin, this layer also contains our oils and fats, these help keep our cells together and adherent.
The Stratum Spinosum – sometimes known as the prickly cell layer, it houses the long armed dendritic cells and has a direct link to our immune response. In particular our Langerhan cells, which are the first aid response to any forgien bodies that may enter the skin.
The Stratum Basale – where the “magic” happens. This is where cell division (mitosis) happens, where cells repair and rebuild themselves. This is also the home to our “King Cell” the Keratinocyte and the Melanocyte.
For many years (and still now unfortunately) the industry lead us (and the consumer) to believe that removing the epidermis or at least the first few layers was the best way to achieve healthy glowing skin. However this couldn’t be further from the truth. Think about a house, it has a floor, walls and and a roof, the roof protects everything inside. This is no different for your skin, your epidermis is your roof, it protects all of the cells and systems underneath it. So we need to protect it at all times, not remove it.
So what makes a healthy epidermis? Firstly it’s a healthy barrier function, this is our first line of defense. As mentioned before it is also the home to our microbiome, the normal healthy bacteria that lives on the surface of our skin. If there is a “break” or impairment in this barrier it leads to a raft of skin concerns, this first usually being irritation or inflammation. Often people will refer to their skin as being “sensitive”, sensitive is not a skin type, instead a condition of impaired barrier function which can be strengthened.
How do we strengthen it? With skin loving ingredients such as Essential Fatty Acids, Ceramides, Cholesterol, Vitamins, Squalene, Phospholipids and Anti-Oxidants. What do we need to avoid? Ingredients such as chemical preservatives, fragrance, color, and surfactants.
Love your barrier and it will love you back.
